A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device that utilizes the reaction of fuel and oxygen to produce electricity. Fuel cells operate continuously as long as fuel is present. When hydrogen is used as the fuel, the only by-product is water vapor. The conversion reaction of the fuel cell occurs electrochemically and the energy is released as a combination of electrical energy and heat. The electrical energy can do useful work directly, while the heat can be dispersed.
Portable electrical devices, such as cellular phones and laptop computers (among others), demand a significant amount of electricity to operate. The primary and optionally secondary batteries that currently provide power to these devices are reaching performance limitations. As such, it is likely that battery sources may not be able to provide the necessary power to future portable devices, which will likely require even greater electrical power needs. Fuel cells are a viable alternative power source to traditional batteries, but are currently limited by their relatively large size, low energy density levels and insufficient power output. These drawbacks of current fuel cells are the result of, among other things, the awkward integration of current fuel cell components and positioning requirements in electrical devices.
It is with this recognition of the foregoing state of the technology that the present subject matter providing a portable fuel cell system that is able to maintain a high energy density and provide sufficient power output within an all-inclusive system has been conceived and is now set forth in the text and drawings associated with this patent document.